scarcity (noun): the state of being scarce or in short supply; shortage.
When I talk to people who are considering coaching, one of the most common barriers I encounter is the belief that they don’t have enough time or money for the program. It’s always funny to me because that was my pre-coaching mantra as well.
I’d love to lose weight, but I just don’t have enough time. I’d love to work on my career, but I just don’t have enough time. I’d love to ride horses again, but I just don’t have enough time. I could go on, but you undoubtedly get the point.
This kind of thinking is an example of “scarcity mentality” and is a very common way of thinking about things of value in life. This can most easily be seen in our relationship with time and money. We are taught that these are precious resources and that there isn’t enough of either of them.
Money is interesting because there are a couple of options for coaching on the client’s belief that they doesn’t have enough money. We can either figure out how to start changing the client’s thinking so that their current amount of money is enough or we can focus on the fact that one can always make more money. This is fun coaching because we get to be creative.
When it comes to feeling like you don’t have enough money for coaching, my only question is “If you knew that you were 100% guaranteed to get the result you want, would you pay this money for it?” That’s how I decided to pay for my first coaching program. I knew I would pay just about anything for guaranteed weight loss. My coach promised me that if I put in all the work and still didn’t lose any weight, she’d refund my money. I promise my clients exactly the same thing.
Time, however, is a little different. There are 24 hours in a day. Unless we change the current time-keeping system, this will not change. 24 hours in a day is a fact. It’s as true for me as it is for you. Why then do you think that I feel like there’s plenty of time in my life for all the things I want to do and yet perhaps you don’t?
If you answered our thoughts, you get a gold star.
YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME FOR EVERYTHING YOU REALLY WANT TO DO.
How do I know that’s true? Think about it. Are you getting more time? Will tomorrow suddenly be 25 hours long? No, it won’t. Believing that you don’t have enough hours in a day only serves to rob you of the time that you do have.
Let’s look at how this breaks down in this model: (If you’re not familiar with the Thought Model, I review it here.)
- C(ircumstance): 24 hours in the day
- T(hought): I’ll never have enough time to get everything done.
- F(eeling): stressed
- A(ction): My mind jumps from thing to thing making it difficult to complete tasks. I spend countless hours getting organized and making lists of what I need to do rather than actually doing them. I put things off because just thinking about everything I have to do overwhelms me. I distract myself with TV or social media because feeling stressed is uncomfortable.
- R(esult): I spend my valuable time avoiding feeling stressed rather than accomplishing my goals.
This is a great example of a thought error. You think that by telling yourself you don’t have enough time you’ll hurry up and get things done, but it actually creates the opposite result. Instead of getting things done, you sit and spin in the stress that you’ve created for yourself with your own thinking.
Here’s another option.
- C: 24 hours in the day
- T: I have plenty of time to do everything I really want to do.
- F: motivated
- A: I figure out what it is I “really want to do,” and I prioritize those things. I take time out to make my schedule ahead of time so I know when I can accomplish each thing. I let go of things that are of lower priority that I don’t have time for. I lead from a place of “no” when new opportunities arise.
- R: My schedule reflects my priorities and helps me accomplish my goals.
That’s such a little shift in thinking, but you can see the power of that it in those models. This is what I help my clients do every day. If this looks like something you think you’d be interested in, sign up for my free course How To Feel Better On Your Next Shift. Then when you’re ready to learn more about coaching, email me at hello@unicorndoctor.com.
